Wrap Ups

Wrap-up: May 2021

May was a busy (and somewhat stressfully hectic) month for us! As you have by now hopefully noticed, we’re self-hosted, thanks to the incredible generosity of Kayla Ancrum (a sign that you need to read her books now if you haven’t already โ€” her next is out on 22nd June, so there’s still time to preorder!). After a wobbly start, we think we know what we’re doing now, although I’m sure Hostgator support would disagree.

But anyway, if you’re interested in what we’ve been reading and watching in the meantime, check it out!

And, of course,

๐ŸŒˆ ๐ŸŒˆ HAPPY PRIDE MONTH!! ๐ŸŒˆ๐ŸŒˆ

What we read

Anna

Love and Other Natural Disasters by Misa Sugiura (Japanese American lesbian mc, Japanese American lesbian li, Taiwanese American lesbian li, Black bi side character, Japanese American gay side character, Filipino American gay side character) – 4 ๐ŸŒˆ tw homophobia, mention of parent’s death [review]
Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao (Chinese-coded cast & setting, bi mcs) – 5 ๐ŸŒˆ tw gore, murder, torture, mentions of rape, threats of rape, misogyny, femicide, suicidal ideation, abuse, alcohol addiction [review]
๐Ÿ”ฅ Crush by Richard Siken (poetry) – 5 ๐ŸŒˆ
Jay’s Gay Agenda by Jason June (gay mc, Chinese-American gay li, gay genderqueer side character, gay side character) – 2 ๐ŸŒˆ tw vomiting [review]
The Bone Shard Daughter by Andrea Stewart (Chinese-inspired world and cast; lesbian mcs) – 5 ๐ŸŒˆ tw abuse, medical experimentation, blood, gore, body horror (chapter 27), death, murder, physical assault
Crowded, Vol. 2: Glitter Dystopia by Christopher Sebela, Ro Stein & Ted Brandt (poc lesbian mc, bi/pan mc) – 4 ๐ŸŒˆ

Charlotte

Hard Reboot by Django Wexler (sapphic mcs) – 4 ๐ŸŒˆ [review]
Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao (Chinese coded cast & setting, bi mcs, polyamory) – 5 ๐ŸŒˆ cw gore, murder, torture, mentions of rape, threats of rape, misogyny, femicide, suicidal ideation, alcohol abuse [review]
Traitors of the Black Crown by Cate Pearce (lesbian mcs) – 2 ๐ŸŒˆ [review]
I Think I Love You by Auriane Desombre (lesbian mc, bi mc) – 2.5 ๐ŸŒˆ
Things a Bright Girl Can Do by Sally Nichols (lesbian mc, butch lesbian mc) – 2 ๐ŸŒˆ cw police brutality

La Bastarda by Trifonia Melibea Obono (Fang cast, lesbian mc, gay & lesbian side characters) – 3.5 ๐ŸŒˆ cw homophobia, sexual assault, implied incest, rape & femicide
Aru Shah and the Tree of Wishes by Roshani Chokshi (Indian American bi character) – 4 ๐ŸŒˆ
The Lost Arabs by Omar Sakr (poetry) – 5 ๐ŸŒˆ
Up All Night ed. by Laura Silverman (bi wheelchair user mc, sapphic mc, nonbinary li, Jewish bi mc, Black gay mc, Indian American gay li, gay, bi, lesbian & nonbinary side characters) – 3 ๐ŸŒˆ [review] cw infidelity, car crash, child sexual abuse, domestic abuse, death of a parent, self harm
Alan Turing: The Enigma by Andrew Hodges (biography) – 3 ๐ŸŒˆ cw suicide, chemical castration

Lady of Shadows by Breanna Teintze (sapphic characters) – 4 ๐ŸŒˆ
๐Ÿ”ฅ One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston (bi mc with anxiety, Chinese American lesbian li, gay side character, Black sapphic side character, Black gay side character, Puerto Rican American trans side character, Black pan side character) – 5 ๐ŸŒˆ [review] cw past homophobic violence
Point of Sighs by Melissa Scott (gay mc, bi mc) – 4 ๐ŸŒˆ
Death by Silver by Melissa Scott & Amy Griswold (gay mcs) – 4 ๐ŸŒˆ cw bullying, past sexual assault, ableism, homophobia
Blood in the Thread by Cheri Kamei (sapphic mcs) – 4 ๐ŸŒˆ cw domestic abuse

A War of Swallowed Stars by Sangu Mandanna (Indian-coded cast, sapphic mc & li) – 4.5 ๐ŸŒˆ [review]
Monstress, Vol 1: Awakening by Marjorie M. Liu & Sana Takeda (sapphic amputee mc, East Asian coded characters, Black character, sapphic characters) – 3 ๐ŸŒˆ
Monstress, Vol 2: The Blood by Marjorie M. Liu & Sana Takeda (sapphic amputee mc, East Asian coded characters, Black characters, sapphic character) – 3 ๐ŸŒˆ
Monstress, Vol 3: Haven by Marjorie M. Liu & Sana Takeda (sapphic amputee mc, East Asian coded characters, Black characters, sapphic characters) – 3 ๐ŸŒˆ
Monstress, Vol 4: The Chosen by Marjorie M. Liu & Sana Takeda (sapphic amputee mc, East Asian coded characters, Black characters, sapphic characters) – 3 ๐ŸŒˆ

Monstress, Vol 5: Warchild by Marjorie M. Liu & Sana Takeda (sapphic amputee mc, East Asian coded characters, Black characters, sapphic characters) – 3 ๐ŸŒˆ
A Strange and Brilliant Light by Eli Lee (lesbian mc, bi/pan side characters) – 3 ๐ŸŒˆ [review]
Under the Udala Trees by Chinelo Okparanta (Igbo cast, lesbian mc & li, Hausa lesbian side character) – 3.5 ๐ŸŒˆ cw religious homophobia, homophobic violence (resulting in deaths), implied domestic rape, miscarriage
The Old Guard by Greg Rucka (bi mc, mlm mc, Persian mlm mc) – 3 ๐ŸŒˆ cw gore, violence
A Different Kind of Us by Kelly Quindlen (lesbian mc, biracial Black bi li) – 1 ๐ŸŒˆ cw internalised homophobia, biphobia, racism

Rainbow Milk by Paul Mendez (Black gay mc, gay side characters) – 2 ๐ŸŒˆ cw prostitution, rape, religious homophobia, racial slurs, racism, drug use
The All-Consuming World by Cassandra Khaw (sapphic mcs, nonbinary mc, genderfluid mc) – 2.5 ๐ŸŒˆ [review] cw suicide, eye gore, violence, surgical procedures, amputation
Aru Shah and the City of Gold by Roshani Chokshi (Indian American bi character) – 4 ๐ŸŒˆ

What we watched (and listened to)

Charlotte

Threesome (1994) dir. Andrew Fleming (gay mc) – 3.5 ๐ŸŒˆ cw homophobia, biphobia, blood, vomiting, casual use of f-word, use of n-word (in discussing who can use)
Cรขteva conversaศ›ii despre o fatฤƒ foarte รฎnaltฤƒ (2018) dir. Bogdan Olteanu (lesbian mcs & side characters) – 4 ๐ŸŒˆ cw homophobia
Heaven Official’s Blessing (S1) (Chinese mlm mcs) – 4.5 ๐ŸŒˆ

Anna

Several Conversations About a Very Tall Girl (2018) dir. Bogdan Theodor Olteanu (Romanian cast, lesbian mc & li, lesbian side characters) – 4 ๐ŸŒˆ tw homophobia, internalised homophobia
Alice Jรบnior (2019) dir. Gil Baroni (Brazilian cast, poc trans sapphic mc, gay side character, sapphic side character) – 3 ๐ŸŒˆ tw transphobia, dead-naming, physical assault, vomiting
Twilightโ€™s Kiss (2019) dir. Ray Yeung (Chinese cast, gay mc & li, gay side characters) – 4 ๐ŸŒˆ tw homophobia, internalised homophobia

On the blog

On other blogs

So, how was May? What did you read and watch?

2 Comments

  • M.

    Just wondering if you guys are aware of “Zanzibar and Other Harbors” (by Andrew Wheeler and Jacopo Camagni), which was part of the Old Guard: Tales Through Time anthology released in April 2021. Wheeler and Camagni are both queer, and the story focused on husbands Nicky (mlm) and Joe (MENA mlm) fighting fascism/Naziism in Weimar Berlin in the 1930s. Very, very timely and wonderfully executed.

    • readsrainbow

      we were aware of the anthology as a whole (i believe it’s on our december releases post? but i’d have to double check), but not this particular story, thanks!!

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